James w



(No Model.)

J: .W. LAWRENCE.

, BUOKBOARD.

Patented Am. 2, 1889.

WITNESSES: IIVVEIVTOR,

ATTORNEYS,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. LAWRENcE, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

BUCKBOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,576, dated April 2,1889.

7 Application filed December 2'7, 1888: Serial No. 294,802- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES W. LAWRENCE, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Buckboard, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of the body of my improved buckboard, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

In buckboards as ordinarily constructed the board by constant use becomes perma nently deflected, so that the vehicle presents an unsightly appearance.

The object of my invent-ion is to remedy this difliculty by providing an auxiliary support which will not only assist the board in sustaining its load, but Will maintain a constant pressure upon the under surface of the board, which tends to restore it after use to its normal shape.

My-invention consists in attaching to the under side of the buckboard two cleats, which are located near opposite ends, a semi-elliptical spring seated upon one of the cleats, a pair of rods attached to the spring and extending through the other cleat, the said rods being threaded and provided with nuts for regulating their tension, and a bridge-piece interposed between the said rods and the bottom of the board, near thecenter thereof, all as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The board A is constructed in the present case of a center piece, a, and the side pieces, I), which are secured to the front and rear axles, B C, in the usual way. To the under side of the board A, near the front axle, B, is

secured a cleat, 0, having a convex forward surface for receivingthe semi-elliptical spring (1, which is secured to the said cleat by bolts e. To the undersurface of the board A, near the rear axle, O, is secured a cleat, f, and to the extremities of the spring d are attached rods g, which extend rearwardly and pass through holes in the cleat f, the ends of the rods being threaded and provided with nuts h for regulating their tension.

At or near the center of the board A a bridge-piece, e', is secured to the under surface thereof, the said bridge-piece being arranged to rest upon and deflect the rods g. Arranged in this way the rods 9 act as trussrods and serve to support the center of the board A with a greater or less pressure, ac-

cording to the amount of tension upon the spring d. To the top of the board A, near the center thereof, is secured the seat D, in the usual way.

The lower end of the king=bolt j, which passes through the forward axle, B, is stayed by a brace, k, which receives the said king= bolt, and extends rearwardly and is attached to the cleat 0.

With the proper adjustment the spring at will give to the rods 9 sufficient tension to return the board A to its normal shape; but if from overloading or other cause the board should remain permanently deflected the deflection may be corrected by increasing the tension of the rods by turning the nuts 7t upon their threaded ends.

It is obvious that it is immaterial whether the cleat c and spring (I be placed at the forward or rear end of the board. It is also ob= vious that two springs (I may be employed, if found desirable, one being arranged at either end of the board;

The contact of the spring cl with the convex cleat c varies with the load, an increase of load bringing more of the spring into con tact with the cleat, thereby rendering-less ofsupports for the rods secured to the board,

and a bridge-piece interposed between the rods and the board, substantially as specified.

2. In a buckboard, the combination of the board A, the convex cleat c, secured to the board, the spring (I, resting upon the cleat c,

two threaded rods, g, connected with the ends of the spring, the cleat f, secured to the board A and adapted to receive the ends of the rods g, nuts h, placed upon the threaded ends of the rods 9 and bearing upon the cleat f,

and the bridge-piece 1', attached to the board of the rods 9 and bearing upon the eleat f, A at or near its center and bearing upon the the bridge-piece 2', attached to the board A at rods 9, substantially as specified. or near its center and bearing upon the rods 3. 111 a buckboard, the combination of the g, and the brace 7t, connected with the king- 5 board A, the convex cleat c, secured to the bolt and attached to the cleat c, substantially 15 board, the spring (Z, resting upon the cleat c. as specified.

two threaded rods, g, connected with the ends JAMES W LAWRENCE of the spring, the cleat f, secured to the board YVitnesses: A and adapted to receive the ends of the EDGAR TATE,

Io rods g, nuts 71, placed upon the threaded ends 0. SEDGWIOIQ 

